Black History Month: Parks pushed self, won Pulitzer for drama

10:34 PM,
Feb. 21, 2013

Matthew Baker

Written by

Matthew Baker

Suzan Lori Parks, 49, is a successful African-American playwright and screenwriter. Parks was born into a military family in Fort Knox, Ky., in 1963. Her parents were Francis-Anmon McMillan Parks and Donald Roderick Parks. Her father was a career officer in the Army and served in Vietnam. Parks has two siblings, Stephanie Ellen and Dominick Roderick Jr.

Even though Parks was born in Kentucky, she did not spend much time there. She was raised in Germany and attended school there. After high school, Parks relocated to the United States. She attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and ...